


Winter Market

by ericsonclan



Series: A Pirate's Life For Me AU [39]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Gift Giving, Market Place, Shopping, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:00:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28197291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan
Summary: The Ericson Pirates go to a marketplace to get gifts to celebrate each other and the time of year.
Relationships: Aasim/Ruby (Walking Dead: Done Running), Brody & Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), Brody/Mitch (Walking Dead: Done Running), Clementine/Louis (Walking Dead: Done Running), Louis & Marlon (Walking Dead: Done Running), Marlon/Sophie (Walking Dead: Done Running), Prisha/Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Series: A Pirate's Life For Me AU [39]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683673
Kudos: 3





	Winter Market

**Author's Note:**

> (By Linnea)

It was getting to the end of the year. The days flew by and with it so did the seasons. At least that’s what the Ericson Pirates had heard in other areas in the world. But here on the seven seas every day was rarely different. Most days were rather sunny with small specks of clouds drifting through the sky, other days the clouds would take over more parts of the bright blue sky and on occasion rain would drizzle from the heavens. Today, however, was an ordinary day on Ol’ Kickass. The sun shone brightly, beaming down of the different crew members who went about their daily tasks. Except today there was a brighter energy surrounding the crew, more excited and giddy than usual. For today they were sailing towards Salisly Wharf, a port town that according to Louis had the most beautiful marketplace in this corner of the seas. The captain had even heard rumors that during the wintertime their marketplace threw together an even more dazzling array of trinkets and such to sell. 

“Marlon!” Willy leaned over from his perch in the crow’s nest. “I see the port town!”

“That’s great, Willy!” The blond pirate smiled up at his friend. “Shout out the coordinates for me.”

Willy nodded and within seconds he was giving instructions to Marlon who did his best to steer the ship. Louis called out to his crew, giving the appropriate directions to safely dock Ol’ Kickass. Each pirate moved around efficiently, their years on the seven seas were evident in how smoothly they worked together. After a half hour they had safely docked the ship and with the joint effort of Sophie, Brody and Ruby the anchor had securely been placed.

“Alrighty,” Louis jumped up on the side of the ship, his black boots barely holding him upright. Snatching a rope and twirling it around his arm, he leaned aesthetically to greet his crew. “Today is a special day. This is a day about fun and that’s it. There are only two rules,” The pirate captain held up two fingers. “One, no trying to sneak peeks at others’ purchases. You’ll just have to wait for the gift exchange happening later on. Two, stick with your buddy and don’t do anything to get caught.”

The Ericson Pirates all nodded and chattered in agreement. They were pretty standard rules, each pirate knew that the last thing they needed was another spot to mark on their map to not return to. Some of the crew seemed especially serious about this rule, especially Brody and Ruby who didn’t want to lose a potentially great marketplace for another misunderstanding. The pirates all exited the ship, walking down onto the docks having already split off into their different groups. Sophie led the way with Willy and AJ who giggled and dragged the redhead forward to get to the marketplace fast. The others watched in amusement when AJ accidentally pulled too hard on one of Sophie’s braces. The leather thumb brace slid off, causing the young teen to land on his butt with a small thunk. AJ blinked for a second when Willy devolved into a fit of laughter. AJ and Sophie joined in before their young crewmate got up on his feet and returned the brace.

“I’m sorry,” AJ’s eyes glanced up at Sophie before falling. 

Sophie gave a chuckle and ruffled his hair. “Nah, it’s my bad. Didn’t secure it right,” she smiled before working to readjust her brace. Marlon was about to step forward and help his wife but stopped when he saw that Willy was already helping Sophie. 

“Gotta make sure that the straps are tight, okay?” Willy stuck his tongue out as he worked to adjust the brace. “There!”

“Thanks,” Sophie patted the lanky teen’s head. “Alright, time to shop.” With that the three sprinted off ahead of the others. The trio stopped when they had reached the marketplace, looking at it with large eyes that sparkled in awe. Booths of all shapes and sizes filled the town square. More colors than the mind could comprehend danced around here and there as live music played by the central fountain. Townsfolk were dancing and spinning around the fountain while light blue and white petals covered not only the pavement of the market area but also were placed along different buildings and stalls. 

“This. Is. So. Cool!” Willy jumped up and down. “Look at that!” He pointed at a booth with different weapons. “That booth is cool too!” He gestured over to a booth that held different metal trinkets decorated with a variety of symbols.

AJ did a little dance and spun around. “I want to check out every stand!”

“Okay,” Sophie smiled happily, her hands lazily placed behind her head. Her gentle blue eyes wandered around, taking in every single aspect of the marketplace. To think that she would be able to enjoy a day like this with all of her closest friends and with her husband. Sophie glanced back and shared a smile with Marlon. It was more than she ever expected to be able to have in her lifetime. She looked back at the marketplace, a soft laugh escaping her lips when Willy and AJ argued over who had won the race to the water fountain when she noticed a striking yet soft shade of blue. A shade she had never seen before. It captivated the redhead pirate who wandered over towards it with eyes that danced with wonder.

“Ah, I see you have taken a liking to the Heart of the Sea,” The seller’s voice snapped Sophie back into reality.

“Oh yes, I’ve never seen a blue like this before,” Sophie cautiously reached forward and picked up the container of blue powdered dust. The salesman gave a hearty laugh.

“I should hope not. That powder is harvested from the seashells of Salisly Wharf. You’ll not find a shade of blue like that anywhere else on the seven seas.”

Sophie studied the powder with curiosity. It seemed like a thing Tenn would like. It would still be a little while before she could visit Halverport but still she could just imagine the look in Tenn’s eyes when he received her gift, the excitement and curiosity that would dance within them. He could even use it to paint the walls of the cottage with Minnie. It would certainly brighten them up and bring a new energy to the place. 

“Maybe a demonstration would help convince you,” The man took the container and dipped two of his fingers into the dust. Using the rock to his left he began to draw a picture with the blue. It really was a beautiful color. After a minute the display of the item was done and the man gave a charming smile. “So?”

“I’ll take it,” Sophie reached into her coin pouch and produced the right amount of ducats. She walked happily with her purchase, tucking it away in her side pouch before the realization struck her that she could’ve probably bartered for a better deal. She didn’t have time to focus on that though as WIlly and AJ came barreling forward towards the older pirate. The pair looked like they could burst with excitement.

“We found a perfect gift for Omar!” Willy exclaimed, his hands shooting up in the air.

“Not so loud,” AJ scolded with a small frown. “What if he heard you?”   
Willy covered his mouth, muffling the sorry he said before he continued in a whisper. “We found a booth that sells cooking stuff.”   
Sophie’s eyes widened and a soft smile appeared on her lips. “Say no more. Lead the way.” With that confirmation, the two guided their friend towards the booth. 

\---

“Having trouble finding a gift?” Marlon asked, his question pulling Aasim away from his thoughts.

“Yes, I want it to be perfect for Ruby.”

“Makes sense,” Louis poked his head forward. “It's gonna be tough finding stuff for Clem and AJ.”

Aasim nodded and continued his search. The three stopped here and there, looking at different trinkets and colorful baubles but nothing seemed to satisfy the level of quality which Aasim desired for his gift to his wife. 

“Well, have you spotted anything for Sophie, Marlon?” Louis smiled over at his best friend who shook his head.

“Nope, I’m not really sure what I would get,” His hand wandered over and started to play with his small braided ponytail. “She’d want something simple but I also want it to be nice, so she thinks it's special and not some throwaway gift,” Marlon’s eyes focused on the ground when he felt a soft jab to his side.

“Aww come on, Marlon. No need to get down about it. Any gift you give Sophie will be great.” Louis’ kind words brightened his best friend’s spirit. The blond pirate was about to respond when Aasim let out a small gasp. His brown eyes were completely captured by a tiny stall that held only a few spare trinkets here and there. Silently the pirate moved forward and stared deeply at something on the table.

“What's gotcha so starstruck, Aasim?” Louis wandered over and snuck a glance at the item in question. There on the table was a small brooch. It was a delicate item. The light silver swirled around in a circle, small white gemstones appearing here and there on the silver line. Every so often dark blue gemstones appeared in the shape of leaves.

Marlon let out a whistle, clearly impressed. “You’ve got quite the eye for gifts, Aasim.”

Aasim didn't seem to register his friend’s voice as he held up the brooch. The sunlight caught the blue gems and made them sparkle in the light. 

“I see you’ve got quite the eye.” The seller gave a warm smile. “That there is one of my finest pieces in all the years I’ve been selling at this marketplace.”

“It’s beautiful,” Aasim whispered in response, his breath caught in his throat. “It will contrast beautifully with Ruby’s fiery hair. I must have it. Name your price and I’ll pay it.” 

Those words made the saleswoman’s smile grow. Even though Aasim had said he’d pay any price though he still haggled to get a good deal on the brooch. After a heated ten minutes of bartering he strolled away, gently tucking away his gift that he had gotten for two thirds its original price.

“Okay, one present down. One, two…” Louis counted on his fingers. “A whole lot more to get. So, Marlon let’s find those perfect gifts too.”   
“Yeah!” Marlon high fived Louis and the two walked with determination as Aasim walked behind, too caught up in the excitement of the gift exchange and Ruby’s reaction to care about anything else.

After around ten minutes of searching Marlon suddenly stopped in his tracks and made a beeline to a booth that held different articles of clothing.

“Oh, getting Sophie some fancy new clothes?” Louis wiggled his eyebrows playfully before Aasim nudged his side. 

“”What?” Marlon glanced back at his friends. “I’m gonna get her this,” He held up a dark blue bandana. Aasim and Louis looked unimpressed by their friend’s choice.

“That’s it?” Aasim crossed his arms. “I thought you’d pick a nice dress or something.”

“But Sophie would use this more often. Besides I think it would really bring out her eyes.” A small blush covered the blond pirate’s face. “I’m gonna go for it.” Marlon tossed over the coins and smiled down at his purchase. Knowing Sophie, she’d love this gift and instantly wrap the bandana over her head. That mental image made the smile on his face grow.

“Okay,” Louis shrugged but gave a supportive smile. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”   


Marlon beamed at his friend’s approval. “Thanks, Lou! Now just gotta grab some snacks for Rosie as thanks for guarding the ship.” Marlon led the way, Louis and Aasim strolling behind as the dreadlocked pirate continued his search for his gifts. 

\----

Clementine looked around with a small frown. There were too many good options here. She could name five different trinkets that Louis would like, a new set of boots that would look great on him, a hat that he would easily wear all the time but none felt like  _ the  _ gift. The pirate grumbled and kicked aside a pebble as she moved towards the fountain. Omar and Ruby soon joined her and the group sat in silence before the cook spoke up.

“Can’t find a good gift for Louis?”   


“I’ve found plenty of ‘good’ gifts but I want to give him something special,” Clementine let her face fall into her hands.

“Awww, sug,” Ruby wrapped Clementine up in a side hug. “I’m sure you’ll find the perfect gift in no time!” Clementine smiled brightly at her friend's kind words when the sounds of a new song started nearby. A flute played a delicate tune before the hurdy gurdy joined in. It sounds like the start of a beautiful, thoughtful dance when out of nowhere the sound of an accordion broke through the air. Clementine lifted up her head, quirking an eyebrow at the odd musical choice when she saw that no one in the group near where the townsfolk that were dancing was playing anything like that instrument. 

Her golden brown eyes searched until they landed on a man who was by a stand filled to the brim and then some with different musical instruments. In his hands was a concertina made with light brown wood that glistened in the sunlight. The man’s fingers danced on the small metal buttons on the side, causing a lively, joyful tone to pour out of the musical instrument. A small smile instantly appeared on Clementine’s lips as her ears perked up at the music. It reminded her of Louis. That was it. Clementine jumped up from her spot and strode over to the man who stopped his playing when she drew near. 

“Hello, there. Care for an instrument?” He asked, beginning another tune on the concertina.

“Yes, I’m wondering how much that one costs?” Clementine pointed towards the concertina, causing the seller to stop his playing.

“The price is right over there,” He nodded over to a small display sign that made the pirate’s heart drop. That was more than all the money she was carrying. The man placed down the instrument and leaned against the stand. “I could knock off a few ducats for you.”

“A few won’t help,” Clementine mumbled and gave a deep sigh. She had found the perfect gift for Louis. She could just picture the smile on his face as he played happy tunes all along the deck of Ol’ Kickass but it seemed like reality wouldn’t make that picture true.

“ I can help,” AJ’s voice appeared beside Clementine, making her nearly jump on the spot.

“AJ, you nearly scared me half to death. Whatcha doing here, kiddo? I thought you were with Sophie and Willy.”

“I was,” AJ began to fidget with his fingers. “We found the perfect gift for Omar,” he whispered as he did a little happy dance. He pointed over excitedly at Willy and Sophie who were carrying a small cauldron along with a few pieces of parchment that stuck out of it.

“I’m sure he’ll love it,” Clementine smiled at AJ whose smile grew at the approval. “Anyway, you were saying you could help? Sorry, goofball, but I think a few ducats won’t do it.”

“I have more than a few,” AJ grunted and lifted up a medium coinpuch and plopped it on the stall counter. A loud clank appeared from the bag as coins shifted from inside. Clementine and the seller stared in disbelief at the bag of ducats.

“AJ,” Clementine looked over. “How do you have this many coins?”

“I’ve been saving up for a long time. Plus I got a ton from that last quest I went on with Marlon, Violet and Mitch. The one with the weird monkeys!”

Clementine blinked at AJ for a few seconds, clearly still processing the large amount of ducats in front of her. “Are you sure it’s okay to use some of the coins? It’s your money.” 

AJ nodded and put his hands on his hips. “Yep, it's for Louis and I wanna help make sure he gets good gifts. It’ll show him he’s a good captain and besides, he loves music.”

Clementine chuckled. “He really does. Alright, we’ll say it's from both of us then.” Clementine turned back to the salesman and began the heated process of slicing down the absurd price. It was a long and dull process but eventually Clementine had gotten the gift. 

AJ stared in awe for a minute before his eyes grew large. “Oh! I should go back with my buddies. I don’t wanna break the rules.” AJ gave Clementine a quick hug then scampered off over to where Sophie and Willy were busy feasting on some meat skewers. As soon as they caught sight of the youngest Ericson pirate they turned to get some more food for him. Clementine’s nose crinkled from joy at the sight then moved back to the water fountain where Omar and Ruby were still sitting, talking passionately about the joys of cooking and medicine.

\-----

Louis was on the right track, he knew it. He had spotted the perfect stall to find something for AJ. The pirate captain pushed back his coat and placed his hands on his hips while he stared intently at the weapons before him. It was about time that AJ got a weapon he could call his own and not have to keep crafting those makeshift shivs that broke after a few uses. Louis’ eyes darted around left and right before he began to look for the right fit of weaponry for AJ. He paused to survey the marketplace; he didn’t want that little man anywhere nearby so he wouldn’t spoil his gift. 

After a minute of searching it looked like the littlest of the crew was nowhere to be seen. That was until Louis spotted him doing his signature dance in the square. AJ slid backwards to the sound of the energetic music, his feet moving this way and that as his eyes were closed. AJ always got so caught up in the music no matter what type it was. Beside him was Sophie who was doing a jig with Willy who for some reason had what looked like a cooking pot of some sort on the top of his head. The redhead laughed as Willy kicked his legs and danced around her before dragging in AJ who giggled as the pair began to have a dance off with Sophie. Louis smiled at the sight. It was nice to see them all smiling like this. Moments like this were what made Louis realize how lucky he was to have been able to find the crew that he did. All these years and he still felt as happy as the day he left his home on the stolen merchant ship with Marlon and the street rats. No, he felt tens if not hundreds of times happier. Now he truly had a family and had even met the woman he loved and a kid he felt a close parental bond for. 

“Louis, are you going to get anything?” Aasim’s voice drew Louis out of his thoughts.

“Hmm, yeah. Just gotta find the best weapon for AJ.”

“I’ll help you look,” Marlon offered with a smile, his hand resting on Louis’ shoulder. Louis returned the smile then continued to look. There was quite the array of weapons, small, large, swords, axes, a stray gun or two, but none seemed like the right fit for AJ. The three men continued to search the booth, the seller beginning to get a bit antsy when none of them seemed to be buying anything. After nearly fifteen minutes of searching, Louis’ eyes landed on a sheathed dagger. The sheath had a simple yet dynamic design. The deep brown wood complemented the swirling, effortless detailing. Without thinking the pirate captain picked up the blade and unsheathed it. His eyes danced with interest when he saw the handle carved with a design that added to the badassery of the blade. He lifted his finger to check the sharpness when the seller spoke up.

“If I may, good sir,” He extended his hand and Louis returned the blade. The man gave a short nod then turned to a small display of wood. With a quick flick of his wrist, he cut the display piece clean in two.

“Holy shit,” Marlon stared in disbelief. Aasim placed a hand on his chin and studied the blade.

“It would be a useful gift against the sea creatures and like we face on the open waves.”

Louis thought about it carefully. It was a dangerous weapon but considering that their lives were far from peaceful it felt like a practical and thoughtful gift to give to AJ. “I’ll take it,” Louis passed over the ducats, not even bothering to haggle. 

“Thank you, kind sir,” the seller placed away the blade in its sheath then handed it over to Louis. The Ericson captain strolled away with his two friends, humming happily in his success in finding AJ’s gift. He wondered if everyone else was having luck with shopping.

\-----

“It’s no fucking use,” Mitch groaned and let his head fall as he walked through the marketplace. “I can’t find anything for Willy.” He was wrapped up in his own thoughts when he felt a gentle squeeze on his hand. Looking over, he saw an optimistic smile on his wife’s face.

“Don't worry, Mitch,” Brody intertwined their fingers “We’ll have luck soon. I know it.”   
“Must be nice having confidence like that,” Violet’s voice appeared beside the auburn-haired pirate. Brody turned to see Violet walking hand in hand with Prisha. “I’m sure whatever I get for Prisha will be ass.”

“I highly doubt that,” Prisha leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss on her wife’s cheek, making the blonde’s face grow deep red. Mitch gave a snort which made his childhood friend send a glare over his way.

“Have something to say, Mitch?” Prisha raised an eyebrow at her friend.

“Violet has always been this way about gifts, thinking they’re shit but they’re not. Besides Sophie, I’d say Violet was always the one of the streets rats to find some good shit for gifts.”

Violet’s eyes grew large in shock for a split second at her friend’s compliment before softening and looking away. “I don’t know about that.” 

The four walked in silence for a minute. All of them looked around at the multiple different stalls with sellers calling out in hopes to intrigue them to take a look at their wares. A light chuckle from Brody drew everyone’s attention when she pointed over at the town square. There in the center were most of their crewmates dancing merrily in a jig. Marlon and Sophie were in the middle grasping hands, going around in a circle and dancing before they patted their knees and spun around each other once more. The couple then grabbed more of their friends and continued to do the same dance with different members. Willy had a pot on his head and was chuckling as he linked arms with Clementine who was trying to get to the center where Louis was kicking his feet and bursting with laughter with Omar who had the biggest smile on his face they’d seen in a while. Ruby and Aasim were dancing around in the outer circle of it all, their faces both bright red from dancing and from each other.

“Gosh, I wish I could join them,” Brody smiled wistfully.

“You can if you wanna. It’s not like we’re having-” Mitch paused in his words of encouragement when he spotted out of the corner of his eye a small wooden toy pirate paddle boat that he knew in a split second Willy would adore. For some reason he got this eerie feeling and glanced over to see that Prisha had spotted the same item. The two locked eyes for a moment then let go of their wives’ hands and began sprinting to reach it first. Violet and Brody watched in disbelief and amusement as both of them tried to outrun and outsmart the other.

Violet gave a sigh. “You can still go dance if you want.”

“Nah, I think I’ll wait for a few minutes, see if I spot the… right… Holy shit!” Brody exclaimed and moved over to the booth a few feet ahead of them. Violet looked confused but followed her friend who had stopped at what looked to be a weapons booth that held some rather unique weapons. Spiked boarding axes, a hook hand, a blowdart, but none of those had grasped the auburn’s attention. Instead her eyes were completely focused on what looked to be a small harpoon attached to a rope and a leather strap.

“I see you know a good weapon, lass.” The woman leaned forward and smiled, revealing a single gold tooth, her arms covered with different tattoos. “That there is a hand harpoon used to draw your enemy closer to you and close the gap between ye in an instant. Or you can use it to grab something from afar.” The woman explained.

Brody nodded along, studying the craftsmanship. “Do you mind if I test it out?”

“Not at all, I’ll set up a target,” The woman disappeared for a moment then returned with a stand, a bright red apple standing on top of it. Brody worked to adjust the weapon on her wrist with help from Violet and with a deep breath she shot out her hand releasing the harpoon and stabbing the apple straight through. With a harsh yank Brody pulled back the apple and gave it over to Violet who took a bite from it right away.

“Mitch’ll love this. I’ll take it.” Brody looked at the price, a confident smirk appearing on her lips. She could knock that down more than a few ducats, easy. After a few minutes Brody had safely procured the item and was walking with an air of pride at her bartering skill.

Violet looked over at her friend, a gentle smile pulling at the corner of her lips at Brody’s happiness. Now all she needed to do was find a gift for Prisha. The blonde pirate could feel her anger growing as she looked in booth after booth and found nothing. That was until she spotted a silver bracelet with delicate lines that led to the center of it that held a gorgeous teal stone. She knew in that moment that it was the perfect gift for Prisha. Violet strode forward and picked up the jewelry, studying it carefully. It was made from some sort of silver so it shouldn’t tarnish easily which was good considering their lives on the sea. 

“Find something, Vi?” Brody’s gentle voice appeared beside Violet who glanced up at her crewmate before looking down at the bracelet.

“Yeah, I think Prisha would like this,” Violet held up the bracelet and Brody let out a small gasp.

“It's gorgeous. Prish will love it,” Brody’s words of encouragement help cement in Violet’s mind that she had found the perfect gift for her wife.

“Hey! I want this!” Violet called out to the seller who woke up from their nap. They gave a sharp yawn.

“Sure, for the right price,” He had a sly smile on his face that made Violet’s face curl into a frown. This guy was gonna try to squeeze all the coins he could out of her. Too bad for him that Violet was stubborn as hell especially when it came to stuff involving Prisha’s happiness. After a heated conversation and some light threats, some of which Brody had to step in the way to laugh off and say Violet was joking, the blonde pirate got the bracelet. She had a serene, excited smile on her face when she looked at the bracelet for Prisha. After a moment Violet felt Brody’s eyes on her and looked over at her friend. “What?”

“Nothing. Let’s go join the other in the square,” Brody grabbed Violet’s hand and ran forward.

Violet haphazardly placed the bracelet in her pouch. “Brody, slow the fuck down. I don’t wanna break my gift to Prisha.”

The two joined the others and noticed that their spouses were still nowhere to be found. They must still be in a heated competition for that gift.

\----

Prisha and Mitch reached the booth at the same time, both out of breath as they glared at each other.

“I saw it first,” Prisha hissed at her friend.

“Bullshit,” Mitch huffed. “Get your own gift.”

Prisha was about to make a snarky comment back when the seller ambled forward. 

“Well, hey there. Anything caught your fancy?”

“Yes, I want that toy boat!” Mitch and Prisha exclaimed at the same time, pointing at the toy on display. The two glared back at each other and began to argue again.

“Back off, Prisha!” Mitch grumbled. “If anyone is getting this kickass boat for Willy, it’s me.”

“Ha! Not if I put the ducats down first,” Prisha replied smugly then looked over to the seller. “How much for the toy boat?”

All color left Prisha and Mitch’s faces when they heard the price for the toy.

“That’s outrageous,” Prisha huffed angrily and placed a hand on her hip.

“Yeah, it's made of wood and shit. Can’t you lower the price?”

“Can you lower your tone?” The seller tutted. “All my designs are handmade and crafted with the finest wood and materials in all the seven seas. So pay the price or leave.”

That statement angered both pirates who turned away to discuss the situation.

“I’m getting that stupid fucking boat. Even if I have to use persuasion,” Mitch reached down for his dagger.

“Don’t be stupid. Let us just split the cost of it with all our ducats. We should be able to reach that lofty price.” Prisha stated in a matter of fact tone. Mitch thought about it for a second then nodded. Inhaling deeply, he spat out a huge wad of saliva on his hand and held it out.

“Street rat oath. Most serious oath of all.” Mitch frowned when he saw Prisha hesitate for a split second but soon she had spit on her hand and shook his. With the oath sworn, the pair returned and purchased the tiny pirate toy boat.

“Ha! I can’t wait to see Willy’s expression when we introduce him to Lil’ Kickass.”

“Yes, I’m excited as well,” Prisha glanced over and saw that everyone was still dancing in the square including her wife. “Shall we join the others for a dance?”

Sure, just gotta tuck this away,” Mitch stuffed away the gift and the duo joined the others as a new lively, cheery song began to play. The Ericson Pirates all laughed as they danced around each other, slapping their knees and spinning each other around until Louis paused mid dance step, whacking Marlon in the snoot.

“Ow, Lou, what was that for?” The blond brushed his sore nose. 

Louis pointed over to the marketplace where a group of pirates were striding forward, each one decked out in the finest threads and garments a swashbuckler could hope to afford. It was the Dandiville Pirates.

“Damn it,” Clementine groaned. The last thing their crew needed was enemies to appear.

“So many Aasims,” Louis teased as he looked at his friend in his fancy pirate outfit.

“Take that back,” Aasim shook his head. “I have class. They on the other hand-”

“Fuck, they saw us,” Violet’s statement made all of them freeze. Slowly they all looked over where the Dandiville Pirates stood in shock.

“Ericson Pirates!” The captain spoke, the scar he had received from the Ericson crew still evident on his face. “Get ‘em, lads! Bring them in for the bounty and revenge!”

“Shitsticks,” Violet instantly grabbed Prisha’s hand. Mitch ran forward and unclipped two smoke bombs from his belt.

“Eat shit!” he laughed wildly as he covered the marketplace in smoke. That was the chance they needed - the crew dashed madly through the smoke, dodging swipes and returning kicks as they scampered off to their ship. Louis was first on and helped up the younger members.

“We gotta haul ass!” he yelled as his crew worked to set sail.

“I’ll hold them off!” Willy cried as he loaded his slingshot and sent a flurry of pebbles and other missiles at the Dandiville Pirates. As Ol’ Kickass began to float away, the Ericson Pirates taunted their enemies before letting out wild cheers as they set sail towards their next destination. The evening of gift giving was upon them and all were excited to share what they had found.


End file.
